Steve 'Flash' JuonThe Click’s D-Shot only had two albums that made the Billboard charts, and we’ve already talked about “Six Figures,” so it only seems fair to talk about “The Shot Calla.” Like his sophomore effort, “The Shot Calla” has one song that the album’s remembered for more than any other, and in both cases the song featured a guest appearance from his brother E-40. This one goes by the name “Call Me on the Under.”
Now you’ll notice I said the ALBUM charted, but “Call Me on the Under” didn’t fare so well as a single. In fact I suspect that many of the songs on this album under-performed (no pun intended) because of the fact The Click had already covered the same topics previously. What does “Crooked Cops” say that “Tired of Being Stepped On” didn’t say a year earlier? Maybe the hook is a little more explicit (and less radio friendly) but that’s about it. It’s more or less a Click song since both B-Legit and E-40 are on it.
In fact that’s a recurring problem for D-Shot. The best tracks on any of his solo albums are the ones that feature guest stars, and more often than not that’s his Click family. Unintentionally the track order makes that issue all the more obvious if you listen to the album sequentially. For cuts seven through nine, E-40 features on the aforementioned “Under,” Suga-T features on “You Ain’t Shit” and 40 returns for “Fuck a Ho.” Aside from having these guest appearances the songs also benefit from Studio Ton’s production, particularly the last of these three cuts, and 40’s confident swagger is a plus. “Straight mob music boy/I ain’t tryin’ to be like the East coast.”
If it wasn’t plainly obvious that this is a Click album in all but name only, “The Shot Calla” features a sequel to a song from “Down & Dirty,” so let me introduce you to “Porno Star II.” It’s not a song I can really recommend even with the Studio Ton touch on it.
The album’s final song isn’t even lyrical. It’s a four minute plus instrumental called “Player’s Break,” featuring a slinky Studio Ton track that would have been more suitable for a song called “Porno Star” (original or the sequel).
As much as his family might have wanted him to be a star, and as much as Dannell Stevens might have wanted to be one himself, he had the least charisma out of all four members of The Click. I know that’s a mean thing to say but it would be a public disservice to not keep it straight real. If you listen to E-40 and you listen to D-Shot you might genuinely wonder how they’re related to each other even if you already knew they were going in. If you listen for the production and the cameos “The Shot Calla” is mostly tolerable and occasionally above average, but it feels hella unnecessary.